Walter Schirra was an American astronaut and naval aviator, known for being one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts selected by NASA in 1959. He flew in all three of NASA's early human spaceflight programs: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. Schirra was the only astronaut to fly in all three programs, showcasing his versatility and skill. Born on March 12, 1923, in Hackensack, New Jersey, Schirra served in the U.S. Navy before joining NASA. He completed a total of six spaceflights, including the historic Apollo 7 mission in 1968, which was the first crewed flight of the Apollo program. Schirra passed away on May 3, 2007.